Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

Several former Utah Jazz players have been making the news lately. From Carlos Boozer coming off the bench, Andrei Kirilenko finally being moved and Deron Williams now rumored to be on the trading block, it is interesting to see the paths these players have taken this season. It was just a few years ago that many of these players were part of a very entertaining, dangerous team that made it to the Western Conference Finals.

As we do from time to time, here’s a run-down of where the former Jazzmen are and how they are fairly a quarter of the way through this long season.

Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks: It is quite rare for a player to have his career year as a 33-year old in his 12th season, but that is exactly what Korver is doing. His shooting is off the charts good. Korver is shooting 51.8 percent from the floor, 54.6 percent from beyond the arc and 95.9 percent from the free throw line. Yes, that’s right – Korver has a higher chance of hitting a trey than a 2-point attempt. All this combines for a phenomenal True Shooting Percentage of .743. His 13.2 PPG is the second best of his career. He’s also chipping in a career-high 3.1 APG and 4.1 RPG. Korver’s 17.3 PER would also be his best mark. It is terrific to see Korver play so well in Atlanta. Could not happen to a classier player. He’s just getting better with age.

Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks: Mr. Consistency is having yet another great season. Most of his offensive number mirror last year’s All-Star marks, minus a precipitous drop in free throw percentage. Millsap is putting up 16.5 PPG and 7.8 RPG, along with 3.0 APG. That’s as Millsapian as you can get. The major highlight is his 2.21 SPG. He has led the league much of the season before falling just slightly behind Corey Brewer. Millsap has always had quick hands, but he’s definitely stepped it up this year. With the Hawks posting an excellent 17-7 record, Millsap might have a chance at a repeat All-Star nod. It is nice for the NBA world to notice how very good he is.

DeMarre Carroll, Atlanta Hawks: Carroll, too, is having a very similar season–11.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG and 1.3 SPG. He’s improved his 3-point shooting to 38.0 percent and remains a major defensive cog for the Hawks. His hustle is a big reason for Atlanta’s early success.

Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets: DWill is making a lot of news, given the recent rumors of Brooklyn’s potential desire to move the point guard. He’s quietly having a nice bounce-back year; it’s not nearly as good as his elite Utah seasons, but it’s nice to see his do more DWill things this year. He is posting 16.4 PPG and 6.9 APG, while shooting 39.2 percent from downtown. His 89.5 percent from the charity stripe is a career-best. His 32.9 AST% is a far cry from his many years in the mid-40s with the Jazz. Given his large salary and his injury history, will the Nets find a potential trade partner? Despite the rumors, that team won’t be Utah.

Al Jefferson, Charlotte Hornets: After surprising many last year and looking poised to be a force in the Eastern Conference, few could have predicted a 6-18 record for Charlotte. Few things seem to be working. On paper, the Hornets’ offseason looked strong, but the pieces have not fit together. Al Jefferson was the team’s heart and soul last year and while he’s having a fine season, his numbers are down all across the board. His 21.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 50.9 percent shooting have dropped to 18.8, 8.0 and 47.9 percent. With many teammates struggling, defenses are honing more in on Big Al and it is showing. He’s still as fine a center as there is in the East, and if they can start clicking, he will be given All-Star consideration.

Marvin Williams, Charlotte Hornets: Williams was one of those additions that was to bolster Charlotte’s depth and perimeter shooting. While he is hitting at a 37.3 percent clip, his overall game is really struggling. Williams is only producing 6.5 PPG and 3.1 RPG, with just a career-low 9.1 PER. His rebounding, which was a strength with Utah last year, is also the worst of his 10 seasons. There seems to be uncertainty about Charlotte’s rotations and the roles within then, including how Williams is being used.

Lou Amundson, Cleveland Cavaliers: Every year, someone picks him up. There’s something to be said about lasting this long. He is solely insurance, as evidenced by the 59 minutes he’s played this season.

Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks: Harris continues to do well in his reserve role, bringing 9.1 PPG, 40 percent 3-point shooting and 3.8 APG to the table. He is a nice combo guard off the bench who still uses his speed to create mismatches. His 3.40 AST/TO ratio is excellent. In many ways, Harris has been the most consistent of the Mavericks’ platoon of veteran point guards.

Richard Jefferson, Dallas Mavericks: Many assumed Jefferson would assume the role vacated by Vince Carter, but that has not materialized entirely. He is still contributing 4.8 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 13.4 MPG and as he showed last season, still has gas in the tank when called upon.

Randy Foye, Denver Nuggets: After a resurgent season, injuries have derailed Foye in a major way. He has only appeared in 11 games, averaging 8.4 PPG and 2.0 APG. He is shooting a career-low 37.5 percent from the field. All that said, once he comes back, he offers head coach Brian Shaw some perimeter shooting and veteran know-how.

Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors: It is hard to imagine, but Rush has been even worse in his return to Golden State than his nondescript year in Salt Lake City. Then again, Golden State is playing so well that it really does not matter right now. He is shooting a mere 19.0 percent, including 1 of 11 3-pointers. That devastating injury from a few seasons ago may keep Rush from ever recapturing his 2012 success.

C.J. Miles, Indiana Pacers: It has been a disappointing campaign for Miles thus far. In the absence of Paul George and a bevy of other Indiana frontliners, several players have been asked to step up. Miles is among that group, but is shooting a career-low 33.1 percent from the floor and after a pair of nice 3-point shooting years, is just 29.2 percent. For a team scoring just 93.9 PPG, the Pacers could really use Miles’ help.

Carlos Boozer, Los Angeles Lakers: At age 33, Boozer has begun to slow down a bit. He still can be productive–13.0 PPG and 7.4 RPG in 26.4 MPG–but is a far cry from the player he was just a few seasons ago. Head coach Byron Scott, citing Boozer’s defensive deficiencies as a reason, has moved Boozer to a reserve role, which may be more ideal at this juncture of his career. If he embraces that, Boozer could do fairly well for several more seasons.

Ronnie Price, Los Angeles Lakers: After playing the veteran mentor role in Orlando last campaign, many thought Price’s journeyman career had reached an end. Instead, he can be found starting alongside Kobe Bryant in LA. While the Lakers are 8-17, the fact that he’s contributing is nice to see. He is playing a career-high 20.8 MPG and is third on the team in assists. Price was never much of a marksman, as evidenced by his 29.1 percent shooting. But at 31 years old, he is still hustling and giving it his all out on the court. Good for him.

Kosta Koufos, Memphis Grizzlies: Koufos’ role has decreased a lot this year, as he’s averaging just 13.8 MPG. He per/36 minutes stats are among the lowest of his career. That said, he is an excellent player to have behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Koufos is still just 25 and may also generate a lot of interest from teams in need of a contributing big man.

Mo Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves: Williams is still humming along. With Ricky Rubio out, he has contributed 6.4 APG, his highest mark in four seasons. He’s also scoring 10.3 PPG for Minnesota. When Rubio returns, Williams will be able to settle in his better suited role as a spark-plug off the pine.

Andrei Kirilenko, Philadelphia 76ers: After persistent rumors that he was on the move, AK47 was finally shipped out in a salary-cutting move by Brooklyn. While it’s likely the tanking Sixers will waive Kirilenko, it remains to be seen if he will continue what has been a fine NBA career. Some reports have him hanging it up. If he decides to play, a number of contenders could come calling for the jack-of-all-trades. Whatever the case may be, here’s hoping the best with his family issues.

Wesley Matthews, Portland Trailblazers: Matthews is having another very good season for Portland. He is putting up career-highs in scoring (16.5 PPG), field goals (48.6 percent) and rebounding (3.6). Add in his sweet outside shooting (38.8 percent) and his regularly stout defense. All this bodes well for the soon-to-be free agent. At age 28 and just hitting the prime of his career, many teams will be clamoring for his services.

Kris Humphries, Washington Wizards: The former Utah first-round draft pick continues to be a nice bench player, currently in Washington (his third team in three seasons). He is tallying 7.9 PPG and 6.7 RPG and still manages to get in opponents’ heads a bit. Humphries is shockingly still just 29.

Author information

David J Smith

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

It’s always interesting for fans to keep an eye on those who once donned the Utah Jazz uniform. After another busy offseason around the league, here is the full list of where former Jazzmen are playing, and some thoughts about their upcoming seasons.

DeMarre Carroll, Atlanta Hawks: Last season, the gritty forward enjoyed a career-year. After toiling for four teams in four seasons, Carroll may have found a home with the Hawks. He posted 11.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.5 SPG, complete with some great defense (2.6 DWS) and shooting (.575 TS%). Carroll still just had a 13.9 PER and is probably better suited playing just a touch less than the 32.1 MPG he played. He has been effusive in his praise of new Jazz coach Quin Snyder, citing his efforts as a big catalyst for his improvement.

Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks: The sharp-shooting forward had another solid season, putting up 12.0 PPG, 2.9 APG and 4.0 RPG for the Hawks. Korver’s stellar marksmanship (47.5 percent field goals, 47.2 percent on 3s and 92.6 percent from the line) paced the NBA with a .653 True Shooting Percentage. Add in a 5.9 WS, and you can see Korver’s importance for Atlanta. Look for him to do much of the same this year. While he fell short of making the USA FIBA team, Korver’s value has managed to increase as his career progresses.

Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks: When Al Horford went down with a season-ending injury, Paul Millsap stepped up in a major way. Sporting a nice 3-point touch, his 17.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.7 SPG and 1.1 BPG were enough to earn his first-ever All-Star appearance. Many of his advanced numbers mirrored his remarkable consistency during his Jazz days, so it was refreshing to see him earn that accolade at last. Even so, there still is a feeling that Millsap is underrated. He’s even been mentioned on some “Most Likely to be Traded” lists out there, perhaps due in part to his expiring $9.5 million contract. If Atlanta is smart, they will hold on to the do-it-all forward.

Andrei Kirilenko, Brooklyn Nets: Injuries plagued AK-47, but he still added value to a Brooklyn bench that struggled at times. Kirilenko has definitely lost some of the zip that made his one of the NBA’s most unique players for years. He averaged just 5.0 PPG last year, but showed he can still facilitate. At just $3.3 million, he is a solid guy for the Nets to have.

Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets: It certainly was a down year for Deron Williams. Across the board, his numbers were his worst since his first season. He’s dropped from 21.0 PPG to 18.9 to 14.3 the past three years (8.7 APG to 7.7 to 6.1). Given the additions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Kirilenko, optimism was high that DWill would be the quarterback of a veteran-laden team that would compete with the Heat and Pacers. Instead, injuries really hurt his game. At just 29, Williams can bounce back. Given the Brooklyn market, and the fact that he’s in line to earn $63 million over the next three years, the pressure is on. By many accounts, new coach Lionel Hollins plans to funnel most of the offense through Williams.

Al Jefferson, Charlotte Bobcats: Like Millsap, it was wonderful to see Jefferson earn the praise that he’s deserved for many years. He was the key to the Bobcats’ resurgence, as he provided a bonafide scoring threat inside– 21.8 PPG and 10.8 RPG. Head coach Steve Clifford used him well on both ends, helping him be a big part of their defensive identity. Evidence: Big Al’s career-high 4.7 DWS. Strangely enough, he did not make the All-Star team, but garnered All-NBA Third Team honors. With an excellent offseason, Charlotte is poised to make another jump in the Eastern Conference with Jefferson as the focal point. While his three-year, $41 million contract opened some eyes, most view it as a bargain for his production and leadership.

Marvin Williams, Charlotte Bobcats: Always a terrific locker room presence and solid on-court performer, it was difficult to see Marvin Williams depart Salt Lake City. He did everything that was asked of him, even developing into a good stretch four for the Jazz. Williams inked a two-year, $14 million deal with Charlotte to reunite with Jefferson and return to his collegiate home. With his combination of stout defense, improved rebounding and outside shooting, he will add a lot to the Bobcats. He will compete for a starting position.

John Lucas III, Cleveland Cavaliers: Lucas struggled with Utah. With Trey Burke’s early injury, he was thrust into the ill-suited role of starter and he never really recovered from that poor start. Diante Garrett quickly usurped him in the Jazz’s pecking order. Whether or not he makes the Cleveland roster remains to be determined. It sounds like he will be given the chance, with only Kyrie Irving and Matthew Dellavedova being the only other point guards in the fold.

Erik Murphy, Cleveland Cavaliers: Murphy, too, is facing an uphill battle. The Cavs seemingly dealt for Lucas, Murphy and Malcolm Thomas to use as trade filler in any Kevin Love deal, then ended up holding on to all three of them. Along the way, Murphy’s contract was guaranteed.

Malcolm Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers: By some accounts, Thomas seems like a player Cleveland is genuinely interested in keeping and using. With his blend of athleticism and length, he seems like a low-cost, potentially decent-reward guy to have at the end of the bench for the Cavs.

Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks: Harris returned to his original NBA team and while injuries affected his season, he seemed to thrive in the third guard role for Dallas. Harris chipped in 7.9 PPG and 4.5 APG off the pine, with his 31.0 AST% being his best since his New Jersey days. He re-signed for a modest contract and will be a valuable cog for a Mavericks team that could surprise, thanks to a very good offseason that also saw Tyson Chandler, Chandler Parsons and Jameer Nelson join its ranks.

Richard Jefferson, Dallas Mavericks: Like Marvin Williams, Jefferson too put forth a resurgent effort. After languishing in Golden State, he started for Utah and showed that he still had some gas in the tank. With Vince Carter’s departure to Memphis, Jefferson could fill the role of a shooter off the bench. Signing him for the veteran’s minimum was another solid move for Dallas.

Randy Foye, Denver Nuggets: Foye had a nice lone season in Utah and did even better in his first with Denver. With other guards being hit with injuries, the Nuggets relied on him more than expected. With 13.2 PPG and 3.5 APG, Foye did his best to help Denver remain in the playoff picture for a good part of the season. With Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson coming back and Arron Afflalo’s return to the Mile High City, Foye may be back in a super sub role – one in which he does quite well.

Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors: One year after being traded to Utah by the Warriors, Rush made his way back to the Bay Area. Given his lackluster play and poor body language in Utah, his heart was probably always in Golden State. If he can recapture some of his former self, he can be a solid perimeter addition to the Warriors bench.

C.J.Miles, Indiana Pacers: Despite playing nine NBA seasons, Miles is shockingly just 27. He had his best 3-point shooting seasons with the Cavaliers, which is the likely reason Indiana added him. He was to be a much-needed shooter for the Pacers, but with Paul George’s devastating injury, Miles may be asked to assume a bigger role – perhaps even starting. It will be interesting to see if Miles can seize this opportunity.

Carlos Boozer, Los Angeles Lakers: Carlos Boozer’s 2013-14 season was quite forgettable. His 13.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG were the lowest of his career since his rookie campaign. His 14.4 PER was by far the worst of his 12 seasons. The biggest stat for the Chicago Bulls was the $13.5 million he was set to make during the upcoming season. With the continued improvement of Taj Gibson and the additions of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic, Boozer was an amnesty casualty.

Enter the Los Angeles Lakers. It is hard to determine what this franchise’s direction is. They added a slew of players to join the returning-from-injury Kobe Bryant, seemingly in hopes to provide enough firepower to compete in the Western Conference. Boozer will be looked on for some much-needed scoring. That said, with the glut of power forwards on the roster, it remains to be seen how much playing time the two-time All-Star will see. Especially when his age (32) and defense are taken into consideration.

Kosta Koufos, Memphis Grizzlies: After several underrated good years for Denver, Koufos brought some solid play to the Memphis front court. With 6.4 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 16.9 MPG, he provided depth behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. His shooting took a dip last season, but a 16.5 PER for your back-up is still very good; ditto the 3.5 WS and 18.4 TRB% (22.7 DRB%). He will continue to provide quality minutes and can step in to start, when needed.

Kyrylo Fesenko, Minnesota Timberwolves: Big Fes was a fan favorite during his four seasons. He had his moments and showed defensive potential. His immaturity, though, was an issue. After appearing in just three NBA the past three seasons, Fesenko is embarking on a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He impressed enough in summer league to earn a training camp invite. Given the rebuilding roster, the 7’1″, 288 lb gargantuan center might have a chance to stick.

Othyus Jeffers, Minnesota Timberwolves: The energetic Jeffers has made the rounds since finishing up the 2010 season with Utah. He hooked on with Minnesota right before the end of the last year and is still listed on its roster.

Mo Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves: After seeing success in a back-up role with the surprising Portland Trailblazers, Williams opted out of his contract and found the market wasn’t too kind. When things settled down, he inked a deal with Minnesota. It was a perplexing signing, with Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and, until they ship him out, J.J. Barea in tow. Given the dramatically changed roster, perhaps Mo will be looked on for veteran leadership.

Diante Garrett, Portland Trailblazers: After being a pleasant addition to the Jazz last year, he was unfortunately traded to Toronto in the Steve Novak transaction. After being waived by the Raptors, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with Portland in hopes of sticking. With his size and improved outside shooting, he would be a nice player to have on the bench, even with the guards the Blazers already have.

Wesley Matthews, Portland Trailblazers: After three solid seasons, Matthews made a little jump last season, enjoying his best year as a professional. His first half of the season was especially torrid, as he was shooting lights out. There was even talk of him making the Western Conference All-Star team. He finished the year averaging 16.4 PPG, while making 2.5 3s per outing. He leapt from 4.7 WS to 8.2 last year (going from 3.6 to 6.3 on OWS). Working with Damian Lillard, Matthews is part of a very potent back court that is among the best in the league.

Kris Humphries, Washington Wizards: While the Boston Celtics had a rebuilding year, Humphries had a quietly solid bounce-back season. He chipped in 8.4 PPG and 5.9 RPG in just 19.9 MPG, along with .552 TS% and 4.1 WS. Washington is a team on the rise and Humphries adds another capable back-up to their front court.

There are several others who are still out there without NBA contracts: Ronnie Brewer, Earl Watson, Ronnie Price, Eric Maynor, Andris Biedrins, Jamaal Tinsley, Mike Harris, Josh Howard, Lou Amundson. With the exception of Howard, all spent time on NBA rosters last season.

And just for fun, here are some former Jazzmen in the NBA’s coaching ranks:

Jarron Collins, Los Angeles Clippers: Collins will get his first chance as an NBA assistant coach. Always respected for his attitude and demeanor, it is nice to see him getting this opportunity with Doc Rivers and one of the league’s contending teams.

Howard Eisley, Los Angeles Clippers: Eisley continues in his role with the Clippers. He seems to be a valued part of the staff; no surprise, given his basketball knowledge.

Derek Fisher, New York Knicks: After 18 seasons and five championships, Derek Fisher was not unemployed for long. Phil Jackson plucked him up quickly, signing him to a five-year, $25 million pact. That’s a lot of scratch for someone who’s never coached at any level (though the same applies to Golden State’s deal with Steve Kerr). It will be very interesting to see what Fisher does in the Big Apple and the inherent scrutiny that exists therein. The Knicks roster does not do much to inspire.

Jacque Vaughn, Orlando Magic: Entering his third season in charge, the expectations are again low for Vaughn’s team to produce Ws. What they are looking for is continued player and talent development. That sounds familiar.

Jeff Hornacek, Phoenix Suns: Hornacek and his upstart Suns were among the NBA’s best stories last season. In his first year as head coach, Hornacek defied the most optimistic of expectations out there by producing an entertaining brand of basketball that got them within a breath of the postseason. Almost to a man, each Phoenix player had career-years–from established veterans like Goran Dragic and Channing Frye, to guys who were seemingly discarded in Miles Plumlee, P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green. The bar was set high. Can Hornacek build upon the momentum there in Phoenix? It would be tough to bet against him.

Tyrone Corbin, Sacramento Kings: Much has been said about Tyrone Corbin’s tenure as Utah’s head coach. There were ups and downs. Corbin gave his all and dedicated the past 12 years to the franchise. While he had struggles at the helm, he was largely considered one of the NBA’s best assistant coaches prior to replacing Jerry Sloan. Corbin should succeed in Sacramento as the lead assistant there, bringing professionalism to a talented Kings roster.

Author information

David J Smith

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

At Jerry Sloan night, one of the exciting things for many fans was seeing many familiar faces – guys who once donned the Utah Jazz uniform. They helped bring back many fond memories. There are many former Jazz players playing for other teams, many of whom help us hearken to good times. Here’s a run-down of how they are doing. Some are thriving, some are struggling.

One of Jazz fans’ most beloved players, Millsap is getting his turn in the sun. When front court stalwart Al Horford went down with a season-ending injury, he rose to the occasion and has kept Atlanta in contention for home court advantage in the playoffs. Recently named an Eastern Conference All-Star, he is finally getting at least a portion of the recognition he has long-deserved. Millsap’s numbers are very close to his Utah ones–and the argument could be made that he should’ve earned those honors in the West. He certainly deserves this.

Millsap is posting career-highs in pts (17.5), assists (2.9) and steals (1.9). Always the analytics community’s darling, some of his advanced stats have actually decreased (career-lows with .542 TS%, .494 eFG% and 4.4 WS). His usage has increased to 25.3, which is a definite factor. The main difference has been his ability to hit the 3-pointer. He is shooting 35%, making nearly one per outing. He showed that ability on occasion in Utah (including the great Miracle in Miami game). He could become an All-Star regular out East.

In his 11th season, Korver is playing a career-high 34.3 MPG, but that extra PT is not affecting his sweet shooting stroke at all. His jump shot is improving with age and his contract is looking great for the Hawks. He leads the NBA with a .661 TS%, while also producing a stellar .638 eFG%. His 46.3% 3FG% would constitute the second best mark of his career. The rest of Korver’s game has always been a bit underrated. While he doesn’t wow the world, he has always been a willing defender, rebounder and passer. Korver is adding 4.3 RPG and 3.1 APG, while registering a 4.0 WS.

The last of the former Jazzmen in Atlanta, Carroll is having a banner year. Like Millsap and Korver, he is part of the Hawks starting line-up. He is tallying 10.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1.5 SPG in 30.7 MPG. His per/36 minutes stats are actually right in line with what he did in 2012-2013. His hustle and defensive effort have been integral to Atlanta’s solid season.

Kris Humphries, Boston Celtics

Yes, he’s still playing. While his numbers will never be balanced compared to his contact, Humphries is scoring 7.8 PPG and 6.0 RPG in a bench role for a team that is Utah’s competition for ping pong balls. Hard to believe he is just 28 years old–seems like he’s been around for ages.

It has been a season to forget for DWill. Williams was to be the engine of a team boasting former All-Stars and strong depth. That has not quite materialized, although things are starting to pick-up. Thanks to seemingly endless injury issues, he has never scored (13.5 PPG) or assisted less (6.9 APG) since his rookie campaign. His WS is just 2.1. Williams is in the midst of a five-year, $98 million deal. While the Nets owner is beyond wealthy, the Nets brain trust has to hope he can regain his health and rejoin the ranks of the elite point guards.

AK-47 is still a utility guy…he just does things on a much smaller scale these days. He too has been plagued with injuries that have not allowed him to truly thrive. Essentially every one of Kirilenko’s statistics are career-lows. He still makes good things happen, as he’s been a cog in Brooklyn’s solid January. But it’s hard to see him playing many more seasons after this one.

Once again, Big Al was on the outside looking in when the All-Star reserves were named. Jefferson is posting a nightly double-double (19.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG) while providing the best post presence the Bobcats have ever enjoyed. He is scoring more than he has since 2009 and is working hard to help Charlotte get back to the postseason. And he still never turns the ball over (6.7 TOV%).

It seems like everywhere Boozer has gone, he has produced. But everywhere he’s gone, he’s also become a source of frustration for fan bases. He is still an offensive threat, but the 14.8 PPG and $15.3 million price tag do not quite jive. His scoring is the lowest since his sophomore season and he’s never shot more poorly (45.2%), although Derrick Rose’s absence is a big factor. Thus, the amnesty provision still hovers over his head.

Cleveland’s situation is messy. Simply put, the Cavaliers are among the league’s biggest disappointments. Despite the issues, Miles has seen a decrease in playing time–his 19.7 MPG is the lowest in six seasons. There are minutes to be had, but for whatever reason, he is not claiming them. In typical C.J. fashion, he still has flashes of greatness, as seen in his recent 10-trey evening.

Injuries kept Harris out for two months, but now that he’s back, he’s proven to be a great bench addition for the Mavericks. He’s played just eight games, but with 9.5 PPG and 3.5 APG in just 18.4 MPG, he’s become a stabilizing force off the pine. Harris has reverted back to his driving game and is subsequently getting to the free throw line 6.6 times/36 minutes–an aspect of his game that was noticeably missing in Utah.

He’s not shooting the 3-pointer as well as he did with the Jazz, but Foye has increased his productivity. In slightly less playing time this season, he’s averaging more points (11.3), rebounds (2.6, up from a lowly 1.5 RPG mark) and assists (2.8). With Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson suffering injuries and Andre Miller on the outs, Foye is being relied upon more to help facilitate the offense.

Things have never been the same for Brewer since the Jazz traded him. He had some excellent years for Utah, including a career-best 13.7 PPG in 2008-09. With a bevy of swingmen available, Ronnie B is at the end of the bench. He is averaging 0.3 PPG and shooting just 20% from the field. He still shows defensive prowess, but simply does not have a role with the Rockets. He too is only 28, but it is appearing more and more likely that he may not regain the production level he displayed in Utah.

This was one of my favorite off-season moves, mostly because it provided a capable starter to play behind a great center in Marc Gasol. With the latter’s injuries, Koufos was thrust into starting again and his advanced stats dropped a bit. Things have picked back up now that Gasol is back. Still, he’s shooting about 10% less from the field than last season. Koufos is still doing great things–7.0 PPG and 6.1 RPG (18.7 TRB%) and will help Memphis in their quest to earn one of the playoff spots.

He will never stop playing. Yes, he’s announced that he’s bidding adieu after this season, but we’ll see. At 39 years old and in his 18th season, his contributions are marginal. He is averaging just 4.7 PPG and 1.3 APG, but still gets consistent burn. While his shots inside the arc are often errant, those from downtown are still going down at a 37.2% clip. Fisher still takes a lot of charges.

One of the genuine good guys in the NBA, Price’s main contribution to the rebuilding Magic is to be a veteran influence and consummate professional. His stats are scary: 1.9 PPG (32.6% FGs, 28.6% 3s, 60% FTs) and 1.3 APG. Given the way he is respected by all the teams he’s played for, it would not surprise to see Price continue to find work in similar roles for a few more seasons.

This may be one of the guys that Jazz fans will never stop missing; this year has not changed that. Matthews is having the best season of his career and was a fringe All-Star candidate. His play has been integral to the Blazers’ surprising first half. He is averaging career-highs in points (16.7), rebounds (4.1), 3-pointers made (2.6) and 3P% (41.9%). His TS% has skyrocketed to .621 (up from .574) and his WS is 5.6 (4.7 OWS). His past two seasons were somewhat inconsistent, but his play this season has been a big catalyst for Portland’s success.

Williams has embraced the sixth man role in Portland and is thriving. He is providing energy and strong play behind and occasionally alongside Damian Lillard. He shooting is still shaky (39.5%), but he’s adding 9.1 PPG and 4.6 APG as a reserve. Given that the Trailblazers bench was awful the year before, his addition has been very welcomed. It’d be interesting to learn if Williams would have accepted such a role in Utah behind Trey Burke.

It has been a rough go for Maynor in the nation’s capital. He has scarcely played behind John Wall (who is averaging 37 MPG) and when he’s played, he’s struggled mightily. He’s shooting a horrendous 29.2% from the field and is chipping in just 2.3 PPG and 1.7 APG in 9.3 MPG. He showed promise early on in his career, but has plateaued–or perhaps even regressed.

Author information

David J Smith

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

Clint Johnson is a professional author, writing educator, and editor. In addition to his writing center work at Salt Lake Community College, he designed, coordinates, and teaches in an experimental author residency program for a West Valley City public charter school. A frequent presenter at both writing and educational conferences, he writes about the Jazz as a break from his other writing work.

]]>In an attempt to score, every team has a Plan A.

Last season’s Plan A was Al Jefferson on the block. Big Al’s execution of that plan earned frequent complaint from Jazz fans. He was too slow, too finesse, too inefficient. He just wasn’t, said the consensus, real #1 stuff.

This season, Jefferson will play in Charlotte, leaving shoes for someone to step into as prime weapon in the Jazz arsenal. The most likely candidates are Gordon Hayward on the perimeter and Derrick Favors in the post. But without Jefferson, how might these two bear up while anchoring an NBA offense?

What Does a Real (Not Just Ideal) #1 Option Look Like?

The supreme offensive options in the league are the two best players in the world, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

PER

TS%

eFG%

TOV%

USG%

ORtg

OWS

LeBron James

31.6

0.640

0.603

12.4

30.2

125.0

14.6

Kevin Durant

28.3

0.647

0.559

13.7

29.8

122.0

13.6

In contrast, the Magic and Raptors were forced by their talent dearth to elevate #2 (perhaps even #3) option players into their primary scorer roles. The numbers show how poorly that worked.

PER

TS%

eFG%

TOV%

USG%

ORtg

OWS

DeMar DeRozan

14.7

.523

.459

9.6

24.2

105.0

3.1

Arron Afflalo

13.0

.527

.478

12.1

22.5

102.0

1.5

In between, we have the average #1 option in the league last season:

Average # 1

Option

20.0 PER

.543 TS%

.493 eFG%

12.9 TOV%

27.0 USG%

107.7 ORtg

4.5 OWS

A face to go with the statistical average might be LeMarcus Aldridge (20.4 PER, .530 TS%, .485 eFG%, 26.5 USG%, 108 ORtg, 4.8 OWS). That will leave the analytics crowd cold, but that’s what the numbers say: last season, LeMarcus Aldridge was an average NBA first option in terms of efficiency.

How did the Jazz’s first option incumbents’ performances last season stack up to this standard?

Hayward

PER

TS%

eFG%

TOV%

USG%

ORtg

OWS

Gordon Hayward

16.8

.564

.501

11.7

22.1

113.0

4.2

1st Option Average

20.1

.543

.493

12.7

27.2

107.7

4.5

Hayward looks like he just might fit the part. He neared, met, or exceeded the average in nearly all these efficiency categories. But projecting these numbers into the coming season is questionable because of one statistic: usage. Given more minutes and with the burden of taking more shots and generating more of the offense with the ball in his hands, will Hayward be able to maintain this level of efficiency?

His PER will almost certainly increase. However, he will be severely challenged by the new role to maintain these other numbers given his new place of focus in opponents’ scouting reports.

My guess is Hayward’s usage will jump to somewhere in the 24-25% range. In that case, Jazz fans should be well pleased if he produces slightly below the efficiency of an average first option player. Something in the area of .540 TS% and .490 eFG% seems ambitious yet reasonable. Turnovers will be a substantial challenge, and I think he’d do very well to keep his turnover percentage below 14.

Not surprisingly, the player last season who best characterizes this projection for Hayward is Paul George: .531 TS%, .491 eFG%, 15.2 TOV%. Such a season would be an unmitigated success for Hayward.

But that doesn’t mean he would be a good first offensive option, particularly for his position.

21 of the of the NBA’s 30 teams used perimeter players as their primary offensive option last season. The average efficiency of those players is below:

Average # 1

Perimeter Player

19.8 PER

.549 TS%

.495 eFG%

13.6 TOV%

27.3 USG%

108.1 ORtg

4.9 OWS

Don’t let the slight PER decrease fool you: the perimeter players are more efficient than the overall average. It isn’t by much and it comes at the cost of a higher turnover rate, but all the other numbers are slightly better than the average.

If Hayward’s best realistic efficiency next season is akin to George’s last season, he will be near the bottom third in efficiency for primary perimeter options. That would put him among last season’s performance of these players: Eric Gordon, John Wall, Rudy Gay, Josh Smith, Jrue Holiday, Monta Ellis, Kemba Walker, DeMar DeRozan, Arron Afflalo, and Goran Dragic. He would be better than the weakest of these offensive players (Dragic, Afflalo and the like), but more akin to them than the super elites like James and Durant.

Favors

It is hardly a surprise, but the numbers suggest Favors just isn’t first offensive option material yet—though he may not be as far away as might be assumed.

Offensive post play in the NBA is currently lacking, to put it mildly. Last season, only nine teams used a post player as their first offensive option, and then with less effectiveness and efficiency than their perimeter counterparts. The average offensive efficiency they produced is listed below in comparison to Derrick Favors’ statistics from last season:

PER

TS%

eFG%

TOV%

USG%

ORtg

OWS

Derrick Favors

17.5

.533

.482

15.9

20.6

104.0

1.5

1st Post Average

20.3

.530

.486

13.8

26.4

106.9

3.5

While Favors was far from an offensive dynamo last season, statistically, he isn’t completely out of his league in this comparison. His TS% and eFG% are actually right in line with or better than players like LeMarcus Aldridge, DeMarcus Cousins, Carlos Boozer, and Greg Monroe.

But where Gordon Hayward looks to increase his usage by two to three percentage points in his new role, Favors would have to double that increase to become a true primary post option. A four to six percentage point jump in usage is big.

That increase in usage combined with substantially more minutes, possibly as many as ten more minutes per game, means it is impossible to predict just how Favors’ efficiency might evolve given a place as an offensive feature. It’s possible that with more game time to acclimate to the NBA combined with his own maturation, his efficiency may increase. This happened with Dwight Howard in his third year, for example. Or it’s possible that the greater offensive responsibility will highlight Favors’ offensive weaknesses, causing his efficiency to decrease under the increased burden.

There is little way to tell at this point, though Favors’ free throw shooting history is encouraging. A .595 shooter as a rookie, he saw precipitous increases in both his second (.649) and third (.688) seasons. If he improves his free throw shooting at anything close to the 4% or 5% seasonal increases of the past, he would shoot between 71% and 74% from the line this season. For a player who attempts more than 5 free throws per 36 minutes (and with a substantial increase in usage, that rate would most likely go up), those extra few points make a huge difference to TS% and a player’s offensive efficiency.

Big Al’s Shoes

By the end of the year, we’ll know much more about both players, as well as the future of the Jazz. But don’t be surprised if neither is any more efficient a primary option than Al Jefferson his last few seasons with the Jazz.

PER

TS%

eFG%

TOV%

USG%

ORtg

OWS

Al Jefferson (2 seasons)

21.8

.521

.494

6.4

25.5

110

9.2

Average #1 Last Season

20.1

.543

.493

12.7

27.2

107.7

4.5

Average #1 Post Last Season

20.3

.530

.486

13.8

26.4

106.9

3.5

Big Al received a great deal of criticism in his Jazz tenure, some of it deserved. But his reputation as an inefficient primary option, something easy to replace, simply isn’t warranted.

As the go-to guy on the Jazz, Jefferson was good. Not great, but good. His lower than desired TS% (due to his relatively few free throw attempts) was balanced by his extremely low turnover rate, the lowest of all first options across the league. He shot better than the average team #1, produced a higher ORtg and more OWS, and offered a more diverse game with his above average PER. When judged against other post players, his performance is even better.

Both Hayward and Favors should best Jefferson’s TS% next season. Hayward takes and makes a lot of shots from both the three and free throw lines; Favors should be in the top fifteen in the league in both free throws taken and made, as well as in offensive rebounds. Also, they should both be better all-around players next season than Jefferson ever was, given his defensive struggles.

But don’t expect an upgrade on the offense end this season.

Both Hayward and Favors will turn the ball over a lot where Jefferson protected possessions better than any top option in the league. Also, while more jumpers from Hayward will result in more offensive rebounding opportunities, it will also result in more long rebounds turned into fast breaks. For a defense-oriented team, as the Jazz seek to become, fast break points from turnovers and long rebounds can be killers.

Hayward, with some help from Favors, will fill the shoes left by Big Al and prove to be a passable #1 option this season—just don’t be surprised if Al’s shoes prove a little bigger than expected, and the team’s young captains require more growth before they truly fill them out.

Author information

Clint Johnson

Clint Johnson is a professional author, writing educator, and editor. In addition to his writing center work at Salt Lake Community College, he designed, coordinates, and teaches in an experimental author residency program for a West Valley City public charter school. A frequent presenter at both writing and educational conferences, he writes about the Jazz as a break from his other writing work.

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

]]>The free agency moratorium lifted Tuesday evening at 10:01 p.m. MST and now everything that has been bandied about in various news reports will become official. How are each of the teams faring so far? Here’s a team-by-team look at the early signings, starting with the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks were the one team that had more cap room than the Utah Jazz, and Atlanta decided to use their money in a very different way. A team that seems to perpetually reside in the middle tier of the NBA decided to restock with veterans. They signed Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap (two-years, $19 million) and DeMarre Carroll (two-years, $5 million). Those are both solid moves. The Hawks are essentially substituting the always-in-trade-rumors-guy Josh Smith with Millsap, a good replacement. The two years was surprising to me, while the $9.5m/year seems about right. Carroll is a nice pick-up as an energy guy off the bench. The Hawks also re-upped former Jazzman Kyle Korver to a four-year, $24 million pact. That seems like a lot of years and a lot of scratch, although shooters like Korver tend to age well. Also, he is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. They lost Smith, Zaza Pachulia, and yet another ex-Utah player in Devin Harris.

Boston Celtics: No free agency news, but they traded their whole roster for Brooklyn’s bench. And added a coach younger than most of last season’s Celtics roster.

Brooklyn Nets: After making the trade of the off-season (all due respect to the Jazz and Warriors) in acquiring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry, the Nets looked poised to make a run at the Miami Heat in the East. As a result, and because they are severely seeped in luxury tax ($72-$74 million by many reports for 2013-2014), they are being selective in their free agency. They re-signed last year’s surprise in Andray Blatche and tall point guard Shaun Livingston to league minimums. Blatche is still being paid via his amnesty agreement with the Washington Wizards; he bolsters the bench. Livingston will play behind Deron Williams and despite the horrific injury early in his career, he has settled in to a nice back-up point guard role. C.J. Watson left.

Charlotte Bobcats: Naturally I was hoping that each of last year’s Jazz free agents would land in good situations. Truth be told, I have mixed feelings about Al Jefferson inking a three-year, $41 million contract with the NBA’s lowliest franchise. I’m happy in that he will step right in and be the leader. But I was hoping he would have at least waited until the Dwight Howard drama was resolved. My guess is that teams that are itching for Andrew Bynum now would’ve been seriously interested in Jefferson. From the Bobcats’ vantage point, they need to do something to escape their losing ways. Al adds a low-post presence in a woeful front court, and will most likely put up 20+ ppg. That said, that seems to be a bit too much money (three years is fine). They also re-signed Josh McRoberts for two-years, $6 million. That’s a decent guy to have off the pine. They renounced (finally) DeSagana Diop and Byron Mullens, as well as Reggie Williams and Jannero Pargo. What will we ever do without Diop’s monstrosity of a contract?

Chicago Bulls: Mike Dunleavy signing a two-year, $6 million contract is the best signings of free agency. He brings perimeter shooting, heady passing, and some scoring off the bench to the Bulls. Great signing at a bargain price. Nazr Mohammed will come back an extra year. He still has something in the tank. Juwan Howard will one day (perhaps a dozen years from now) pass along the mantle of the NBA’s vet to Nazr. Marco Belinelli was an excellent find last summer, so his leaving for the Spurs is a blow. The Bulls also severed ties with Richard Hamilton. Not sure how much more Rip has to offer.

Cleveland Cavaliers: While the Anthony Bennett pick still has me scratching my head, it’s clear the Cavs are gunning for the playoffs. They added some nice players in Jarrett Jack and Earl Clark. Jack was a main catalyst to the Warriors’ success last year, and Cleveland hopes he can reprise a similar role behind Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. He signed a four-year, $25 million deal, which seems about right (even for a 29-year old third guard). Clark took advantage of the surreal Lakers’ situationlast season to finally emerge. He brings versatility and front court depth to the table. At two-years, $9 million, his contract might be a touch high, but if given the opportunity, he might prove to be a steal. Omri Casspi left for Houston, but he never played in Cleveland.

Detroit Pistons: Josh Smith is an intriguing signing. He has All-Star talent (and probably should have made at least one All-Star roster, if not two), is tremendous on help defense, and has AK47-like versatility. Added to the pair of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, Smith gives them one of the best (if not the best) young front courts. That said, he needs to operate inside, so spacing could get cramped. Combo guard Will Bynum re-upped, which was smart. He can score and lead the second unit well. On a side note, I always thought the bullish Bynum would’ve been a favorite for Jerry Sloan. Jose Calderon departed for Dallas, ending his brief sojourn in Detroit.

Indiana Pacers: After giving Miami all it could handle, the Pacers have gone out and had a tremendous off-season. By being a contender, they too could be very deliberate with their signings. C.J. Watson will be integral to their success. After a season of D.J. Augustine’s perplexing play, Watson will add a nice punch behind George Hill. Chris Copeland, who the Jazz clearly had interest in, also helps shore up a shallow bench. His versatility and outside shooting (42% 3s) will be very welcome. Most importantly, they re-signed power forward David West. His quiet leadership was as much a driver for their playoff run as anything. His three-year, $36 million deal seems like a bit much, but he too has a game that will age well. Add in a healthy Danny Granger and they could again be the Heat’s main challenger. They lost Jeff Pendergraph to the Spurs, which has to make one worry a bit. After all, it’s the Spurs…

Miami Heat: Re-signing vital reserve Chris Andersen to a one-year pact was essential. His play was instrumental, especially because it keeps Joel Anthony on the bench.

Milwaukee Bucks: It is hard to decipher what the Milwaukee Bucks are doing. They have been the epitome of mediocrity for decades. They’ve had a few nice squads, but seem to be eternally locked into a low postseason seed. They handed O.J. Mayo (who some said was a Jazz target) for three-years, $24 million. That is a lot of money to pay for a guy who may score for you, but may not do so efficiently. He doesn’t strike me as one who will help lead the Bucks to anything but middling success. They also brought back to former Bucks in Pachulia and Carlos Delfino. I can understand each of these signings individually, but when viewed big-picture, it’s all confusing. If anything, they should’ve brought back Dunleavy.

New York Knicks: Losing Copeland to a rival is tough, but they couldn’t afford to have him back. They re-signed Pablo Prigioni to a three-year deal, a bit surprising for a 36-year old. He is a steady back-up. J.R. Smith and the Knicks belong together, for better or for worse. They got him for four-years, $26 million, which really is a nice deal for what he brings to New York.

Orlando Magic: Nothing happening here.

Philadelphia Sixers: Ditto. They did lose Dorrell Wright to Portland, but the chances of him returning to Philly were slim.

Toronto Raptors: With Orlando and Philadelphia, Toronto will naturally be mentioned as a team on the tank. Their only splash has been adding little-used Julyan Stone from Denver.

Washington Wizards: This is a team on the rise and one that will most likely make the Playoffs this season. Besides adding Otto Porter and Glen Rice Jr. to the mix via the Draft, they got former Jazz point guard Eric Maynor for a song to back-up John Wall. Maynor, when healthy, can provide nice play off the bench. They re-signed Garrett Temple and Martell Webster. as well. Webster was a big help last season with his shooting. They paid the mid-level exception, which was a lot more money than I was predicting. Whatever the case may be, they are going into “postseason or bust” mode in DC.

Stay tuned for a recap of the Western Conference.

Author information

David J Smith

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife have four amazing children, with a fifth joining the Smith family fun soon.

]]>It may have been the most “boring” game of the year, but the Jazz needed a win in a big way. Nice of the hapless Sixers to oblige. Check the ESPN recap and box score here. View the complete highlights from the game in the video below. I especially enjoyed Kanter mimicking the old Shaq Reebok logo at 4:20 and the jaw-dropping Jeremy Evans dunk off a behind-the-back pass from Jamaal Tinsley at 4:50.

With the Lakers continuing to look a gift horse in the mouth and losing again last night, somehow the Jazz are still only one game away from the last playoff spot. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing at this point, but it could very well happen. The Jazz might be the first team to ever successfully tank while earnestly trying to win.

—

I have a few things to say about Al Jefferson’s pump fake, his complete aversion to drawing fouls despite shooting a very high percentage, and the possibility that Al’s ACL injury changed his approach to the game. Thoughts forthcoming in a new post.

As long as we’re talking fakes, here’s BYU’s Brandon Davies sending the Cougars to Madison Square Garden in the NIT tournament with a nasty two-man fake pass and dunk–narrated by Bill Walton:

There are probably good reasons for a professional athlete of gigantic proportions to buy a gigantic bed. But a $23,000 bed better be able to cook breakfast and drive you to work, is all I’m saying. It was definitely poor timing to have the pictures come out the day after the ESPN debut of “Broke,” a documentary about how professional athletes lose their money.

As Herm Edwards said in the documentary, some athletes have champagne taste but beer money. Al Jefferson is one who is making legitimate champagne money, but if the picture below is any indication, I think he paid champagne money for a beer-level bed. Not even Memory Foam!

The invoice is itemized and appears to charge $10,000 for the mattress alone. Is the bed frame made out of solid gold? What is the thread count for sheets that cost $900? They even gave him a $6,000 discount–probably for purchasing their “Bed the Size of a Normal Apartment Package.” Is the bed flavored? Can it sing you to sleep? So many questions.

]]>Take it the Court is a new weekly column on SCH featuring the arguments, opinions, and random musing of a Utah Jazz fanatic.

Over the past several years, the Utah Jazz have teamed up with the Salt Lake Mission to provide Thanksgiving to thousands of underprivileged Utahns. Thus, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here is a sampling of the Utah Jazz as your traditional holiday meal:

Turkey: I know you’re thinking Deron Williams as the main course, right? Guess again…how about Jerry Sloan? Don’t sleep on Sloan for Coach of the Year, tryptophan notwithstanding. Surrounded by change (during his tenure, he’s seen different players, management, different uniforms, even a different arena, and later a new arena name), Sloan is as constant as the Thanksgiving turkey tradition. This Coach won’t let his players nap on defense (or they’ll find themselves camping on the bench). Turkey is Thanksgiving and Jerry Sloan is the Utah Jazz.

Mashed Potatoes: Half Millsap + half Jefferson = one tasty serving of “Jeffersap.” Night in and night out, these two take turns filling the plates of opposing teams with tasty points and rebounds. Together, they are the glue that holds the meal together – It would nice to see them both on the table at the same time, but at least we can always count on one or the other. Thru 15 games, the duo is averaging a combined 36 points and nearly 18 rebounds per outing.

Gravy train? Here’s where D-Will comes in. You know that the key to turkey and mashed potatoes is a sweet tasting gravy to tie it all together. Likewise, Deron is the link between Sloan and his two-headed Jeffersap. When Williams is hot, he makes Sloan, Millsap, and Jefferson ALL look better. You can bet that opposing teams wish they could go easy on Williams – just like passing by the gravy at your family feast, overlooking D-Will is a recipe for destruction.

Sweet potatoes: How come we only eat sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving? It must be some holdover from a long forgotten era – but it still makes the menu every November. Raja Bell is the sweet potato in our analogy – a little old school, but the meal just isn’t complete without him. With Raja on the bench, the defensive difference in Utah’s home loss to OKC was palatable. Raja hasn’t had a defining game yet, but he makes his teammates better defenders.

Homemade rolls: Unless your willpower is stronger than mine (sweet, sweet carbs), you really can’t stop after one serving…just like Andrei Kirilenko. When AK is playing well, the team wins – plain and simple. Recall that is was AK’s inspired play that initiated the streak of comebacks. Pair him up with some Gravy or Mashed Potatoes, even cranberry sauce – and you’ve got a winning combination.

Green Beans: Not everyone likes CJ Miles. I have several FB friends who insist that he is the problem with the Jazz and needs to be shipped away as soon as possible. And then he knocks down HUGE buckets to keep the Jazz from dropping a close one to division rival Portland, followed by a great showing against the Kings. I, for one, am a fan of green beans AND CJ Miles. My only qualm? I don’t want my green beans thinking that it is my gravy. CJ, I love ya, but this is Deron’s team – you don’t have to be the hero every time you get the ball. Be content to be a green bean, for crying out loud!

Cranberry Sauce: Like it or not, a little bit goes a long way; enter the Utah bench – Fes, Elson, Price, Hayward, Watson [reserve “white meat” jokes about Fes and Hayward for another time]. The Jazz don’t need huge minutes OR huge numbers from their bench players. Instead, they need small doses of energy to keep things together.

Pumpkin Pie: If you don’t finish your meal with a slice of pie with some fresh whipped cream, you’re missing out. There’s just something about Mehmet Okur [shouldn’t HE be the Turkey?] that can put the finishing touches on the Utah season. Sure, you may think there is no room for pie, but come on, you can always make room for a nice slice of pie – and a silky smooth jumpshot. Word is, Memo is getting close.

My wish is that each and every reader out there has a happy and healthy Thanksgiving with more food than you can eat and plenty of friends and family to share it with. From the staff writers of SCH, we’re grateful for you stopping by for the finest news and opinions on the Utah Jazz.

]]>Case of the Mondays is a weekly column on SCH that recaps the previous weekend and gives you your Jazz fix when you’ve been diagnosed with a case of the Mondays.

About Last Week

After the Jazz began the season 0-2 it seemed all was wrong in Jazz land. D-Will wasn’t happy, the Jazz’s offense was terrible, Al Jefferson was overrated, Bell was on his last legs, the bench looked awful, Hayward was catching passes from D-Will that had an extra zip to them, and the Bear almost fell from a ladder in the home opener (yes, this did in fact happen.)

Then something crazy happened. In case you weren’t able to see last week I condensed all of last week’s games into one clip. Watch that and then come back. To paraphrase, the Jazz bandwagon has room for one more if you still haven’t caught Jazz fever.

—

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t all what happened last week in one clip, but that’s about the gist of it. What the Jazz did last week was miraculous. Or at least highly improbable. If there is one person out there who predicted the Jazz were going to go 4-0 on their road trip and every win was going to be a comeback win, then I strongly encourage him or her to step forward and be my wingman on my next trip to Vegas. Really. Be my wingman. We could make bank.

More amazing: The Jazz have played a league-most 7 road games. They have won a league-most 5 road games. All of their road wins have come against 2009-2010 playoff teams: OKC, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte.

The teams they played had an average .550 win percentage (take away Charlotte and it’s.634). They played 4 games in 5 days. The Jazz have historically been bad on the road. They overcame halftime deficits of 19, 10, 3, and 16. Throw in the Clippers game at home and the ridiculous comeback streak is 5 games long.

You got to give it to Sloan. He wants to make it a fair fight so he allows teams to get a 20 point head start. That’s classy. All joking aside, theses second half comebacks have been nothing short of Sloan COY evangelism. The team makes some adjustments and simply executes, all the way to the victory.

—

Williams to Millsap

Get used to these two being good for a long time.

Right now the Jazz are one of only two teams (the other being Atlanta) to have at least two players in the top 15 in efficiency. Those two players? Williams and Millsap. In fact, Millsap is 3rd in the league in efficiency and Williams is 14th. Just imagine how crazy their efficiency would be if Sloan allowed them to play in the 1st half of games (that’s a joke).

—

D-Will … Unhappy?

In a recent ESPN.com chat with Ric Bucher, he had some interesting insights about the Jazz point guard. When asked why D-Will’s name doesn’t come up in trade rumors he said this:

Deron has been smarter and more responsible about it. There are no rumors leaking out because he’s not telling friends he’s frustrated. Though he is. He’ll give Utah everything he has and make a decision when his option to leave is available. I respect that to the Nth degree.

This was said after the Jazz’s wins against Miami and Orlando. They had not yet beat Atlanta and Charlotte. But Deron Williams is frustrated? I have never liked the Miss Cleo method of reading a player’s mind. I can see why someone could think he was frustrated. He lost his friend Brewer, lost his low post presence Boozer, lost Wesley Matthews, lost Korver, lost Eric Maynor, threw a ball at a rookie, and is not living in Utah anymore. Here’s my problem: unless Deron Williams has told someone he’s frustrated, how would Ric Bucher, employee of ESPN and not in D-Will’s circle of friends, know he is? Would Deron Williams tell something like that to the media before his friends or family? I don’t think so.

Not to get all sensitive, but the subtext to Bucher’s comment seems to be “He isn’t outwardly demanding a trade, but you know he’s just DYING to get out of Utah. Who could stand it there?”

Deron’s team is 1st in the Northwest division, beat 4 out of the 5 teams in the Southeast Division, and they are still learning the offense. If this is what the Jazz are capable of when they only play a couple of good quarters a night imagine what happens when they play four good quarters of basketball. Who would want anything to do with a mess like that, right?.

—

Ariza/West/Okafor >? Kirilenko/Millsap/Jefferson

Is D-Will's supporting cast really worse than Chris Paul's?

As long as we’re here, let’s keep piling on our man Ric Bucher. In the same chat, he also said that New Orleans’ frontline was better than Utah’s. When someone asked Ric Bucher if he really believed that Bucher responded:

I don’t think it’s even close, especially when you factor in the psychological part: NO reloaded as best they could at CP3’s behest. Utah let a bunch of pieces walk for nothing. CP also is coming back to a front-line he’s played with before. Deron isn’t dialed into Al at all yet.

He also had this to say when someone pointed out that the Jazz didn’t let people walk away for nothing:

Al has been a big disappointment, Hayward isn’t close to the shooter Korver is, Bell’s best days are firmly behind him (Brewer is a better defender at this stage) and Elson is a journeyman.

I know the Hornets are 8-0 but I attributed that more to Chris Paul than his supporting cast. While I believe Ariza, Okafor, and West are playing solid I’m not sure they are at the level of Kirilenko, Millsap, and Jefferson. Here are their combined stats head to head:

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Bucher may be right on paper, but as Jerry Sloan is quick to remind everyone, that’s why we play the games. Looking at New Orleans’ front-line, they average 11.6 less points, 3.5 less rebounds, 2.6 less assists, .25 more steals, and .7 more blocks. While New Orleans’ front-line may create an extra turnover a game (if you combine the disparity of steals and blocks) it’s a wash when you look at the rebounding disparity.

Also, if you believe in the +/- rating, the Jazz have the 5th best five-person lineup in the league. The lineup of D-Will, Miles, Kirilenko, Millsap, and Jefferson has posted a +/- rating of +47 when they are on the court. The lineup of Paul, Belinelli, Ariza, West, Okafor is 7th in the league with a +/- rating of +41. Most importantly, the advanced stat community doesn’t yet have any measurement for the “psychological part.”

]]>I’ll admit it… I didn’t think the Jazz would win this one. I knew they had the skill to beat Orlando, but after an improbable come-back in Miami, I didn’t really expect the Jazz to get back out there the following night and bring it against another Eastern Conference power. I was (gladly) wrong, and Jazz fans across the world are in a euphoric (and maybe confused) stupor today.

Here are some quick thoughts from last night’s victory in Orlando (set to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”)…

Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

“I’ve been here for years.” Deron is amazing. At Miami he was spinning out of triple teams to feed Millsap, and in Orlando he was raising up silky smooth jumpers to seal the game. The man is playing out of his mind right now… distributing well, hitting the right shots at the right time, and just leading his team to hard-nosed, well fought victories. He knows that system, and fans are starting to see the ridiculous upside of this team as the other guys fall in line behind him.

“Mama Said Knock You Out:” Sloan preaches a pick & roll, open jumpshot, cut up the middle, lay-up drill, unrelenting system. People keep asking how the Jazz get back into these games, and “the system” is the answer. The flex allows a well executed offense to hang around through the inherent runs that NBA basketball produces. While iso/catch and shoot systems rely on low percentage shots falling, the flex relies on high percentage looks opening up. So far, Miami and Orlando (even the Clips) have had streaks of hot offense coupled with poor defense from the Jazz. These streaks create gaps in scoring, and make teams feel like they have control, but the flex is a lot like the tortoise in Aesop’s fables: It keeps moving at a methodical pace. As the Jazz’ defense warms up and opposing offenses flatten out, it’s the flex that keeps churning… eating away at leads, and eroding spreads.

“I’m gonna knock you out:” The Miami game was the worst thing that could have happened to the Orlando Magic. It gave the Jazz confidence in a compromising situation… even when they were down 18, they played like a team that knew it could get back in. They just came out, got to work, and showed Orlando what it was like to play Utah Jazz Basketball.

“Don’t you call this a regular jam.” How about that wacky man-zone the Jazz played in the third? If anyone’s ever questioned Sloan’s ability to coach, they need to watch that game. Not only did Sloan know when to call the zone up, but the team knew exactly how to execute, and it confused the Magic. The Jazz allowed cutting players space to run around, but as soon as those cutters broke to the perimeter, they was covered. When the covered man passed into the interior, the defense swarmed. There were no open looks, no easy baskets, and Orlando couldn’t break the defense in time to regain the ground they’d lost.

“The man of the hour.” Millsap was an absolute stud. Again. It wasn’t a 46 point performance, and it didn’t need to be. Right now Mansap is leading the team in points (23.9), rebounds (10.1) and in steals (1.3). I think a lot of Jazz fans thought that Millsap would produce similar numbers to Boozer, but not better. Well, so far he’s been a complete upgrade. It’s fantastic.

“Tower(s) of power.” Let’s talk centers for a second:

Al Jefferson was legit (21 points on 10-16 shooting, 8 rebounds, and a block). He came out and showed that A) last night’s poor performance was a fluke, and B) that he could hang with the big-boy centers in the league.

Fesenko. How much more comfortable does Fes look this year? I actually get excited when he gets the ball. Williams has done a good job of creating high percentage (high confidence) shot opportunities, but he’s also showing marked improvement controlling his body around the basket (including his MUCH improved defense). Besides that, he dwarfed Dwight Howard on the floor. My mind can’t comprehend the thought of having a serviceable, strong 7+footer, so I’m not going to talk too much about it, but man… this could be pretty cool if he continues to develop.

“And I’m just gettin’ warm.” Right now, the Jazz are looking pretty tough. They’re letting other GOOD teams have it, and they’re winning in style. However, as the season continues, they can’t rely on teams letting off the gas once they have the lead and letting them back into the game. Teams like the Lakers, Boston, and a matured Heat aren’t always going to give opposing teams those kind of opportunities. The Jazz need to open strong, stay strong, and grind it out. That’s the kind of basketball Sloan wants and that will ultimately succeed in a seven game series… and the Jazz are showing great promises of things to come.

“Competition’s payin’ the price.” That’s been true on this road trip. Opposing teams have overlooked parts of this Jazz team and they’ve been embarrassed. No more overlooking, though. If the Miami game didn’t do it, last night’s did… The Jazz are on people’s radar. You can’t go and sweep the Florida basketball scene on national TV two nights in a row and not raise some eyebrows. This is the moment the Jazz have been waiting for… time to seize it and prove that this is an elite team in the Western Conference.